$300,000 grant will keep Darrington mill in operation after mudslide

A new partnership between the Washington state Department of Commerce and the United Way of Snohomish County is granting $300,000 to help a Darrington lumber mill stay in operation while mudslide-damaged State Route 530 is repaired.

“We will continue to stand strong with this community through the hard work of recovery and rebuilding," Gov Jay Inslee said today in announcing the grant. "Hampton Mill is the economic heartbeat of Darrington, and the truckers that bring raw materials to the mill and deliver finished products are its lifeline.”

Hampton Mill will use the funding to purchase fuel cards that will be distributed to truckers serving the mill who are experiencing significant increases in time and fuel costs resulting from the highway's closure.

“Our objective is to keep the mill operating and keep people working," said Tim Johnson, plant manager at Hampton Lumber Mills, in a statement. "These funds will help us do that for as long as possible by offsetting our increased fuel costs."

The bodies of 41 people have been recovered and identified after the March 22 mudslide. Two people remain missing.

The Washington state Department of Transportation says it hopes to have one lane of SR 530 open to local traffic by fall. However, it notes that the roadway underneath the slide could be significantly damaged and that it's too soon to tell if the road will be drivable once the debris has been cleared.